The Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Program (MNAiC) announced last month that ten young women from Minnesota high schools, including Sahana Vandayar, a senior at Maple Grove Senior High, have been selected as national honorable mention recipients by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT).

Three hundred and sixty students, from an applicant pool of nearly 4,700 were selected for this exclusive honor. Sahana Vandayar, and the other 9 selected Minnesota students, fall within the top 8% of nationwide applicants.

According to NCWIT, “Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, tenacity in the face of barriers to access, and plans for post-secondary education.”